Online vs in-person fundraising events

Online or in-person fundraising event? Pros and cons, when each works and why a hybrid event suits many non-profits best.

Neither is better in every case. In-person fundraising events build the strongest bond and let you tell your story face to face, but cost more time and money and reach only the people who can come. Online fundraising events reach anyone, cost less to run and are easy to measure, but make it harder to create atmosphere. For most non-profits the best answer is a hybrid: an in-person event with an online page for tickets, gifts and people who cannot attend.

At a glance

  • Reach: in-person is limited by place and room size; online is limited only by your network.
  • Cost: in-person needs venue, food and staff; online mostly needs time and a few tools.
  • Relationship: in-person is stronger; online can be warm but is more easily skipped.
  • Risk: in-person depends on weather, headcount and logistics; online depends on your ability to get attention.
  • Measuring: online gives clear numbers; in-person needs good registration.

When do in-person events work best?

In-person events fit when your cause benefits from presence: a gala for major supporters, a run or walk with a community, a market where neighbours meet. They are good for thanking donors in person, for recruiting volunteers and for press and local visibility.

They also suit older audiences who like a real occasion. The price is more preparation, more risk and a higher cost per euro raised than a simple online appeal. See our article on how to budget a fundraising event.

Working with volunteers? In Flanders and Dutch-speaking Brussels, a non-profit association can have up to 1,000 hours of volunteering per 12 months insured free of charge through the Flemish government, provided you register the activity at least 24 hours beforehand.

When do online events work best?

Online events fit when your supporters are spread over a country or abroad, when your team is small, or when you want to test an idea cheaply. Examples are a challenge people do wherever they live, a time-limited campaign with a clear goal, or a fundraiser page started by a supporter for a birthday.

Online events can start quickly, adjust on the way and cost little to repeat. The weak spot is attention: without a gathering moment, you must create urgency with a deadline, a goal and regular updates.

What is a hybrid event?

A hybrid event combines both: a physical occasion plus an online layer. Guests buy tickets online, supporters who cannot come give or sponsor a participant, and results are shown live to both groups.

In practice it is a simple idea: one event page, one story, two ways to take part. Hybrid reduces the risk of an empty room because the online page still collects gifts.

How do you decide?

  1. Look at your supporters. Where do they live and how do they prefer to take part?
  2. Look at your team. How many volunteers and hours do you really have?
  3. Look at your goal. Money fast, new relationships, or visibility?
  4. Look at your budget. Can you afford the upfront costs and the risk?
  5. Start small. Try one hybrid event and compare cost per euro raised afterwards, with your own figures.

How does WeGlow support both?

WeGlow is built so that you do not have to choose. For the in-person part, you can create an event page with ticket types, places and prices, take payments through providers such as Mollie, Stripe and Payconiq (with Bancontact, iDEAL and cards), send tickets by email and scan them at the door with a PIN-protected scanner.

For the online part, participants and supporters can start their own fundraiser page for your event, and the event page shows live totals so everyone follows the same result. Buyers can add an extra donation at checkout. Glowie can draft the event page for you to review and confirm.

After the event, you can send the ticket buyers to a list in WeGlow Mail for a thank-you and the next invitation. WeGlow Mail is free up to 250 contacts and included up to 2,500 contacts with the Pro plan (from €40 per month excl. VAT; check the current prices in your dashboard). Try it in your WeGlow dashboard; you need a free account first. Ticket sales carry a service fee that the buyer can choose to cover; check the current terms.

Frequently asked questions

Which raises more money, online or in person?

It depends on your supporters, your team and the type of event, and we do not know of a reliable general comparison. Compare your own results over time.

Can a small organisation run a hybrid event?

Yes. A pub quiz with an online page for tickets and gifts is already hybrid.

Do I need a livestream?

No. A shared event page with live totals and a few updates is often enough, and you can add video later if it fits your cause.

How do I keep online supporters engaged?

Share progress updates, thank people by name where they agree, and keep the goal and deadline visible.

Read next

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Sources

Checked on 2 October 2026. The volunteer insurance source was checked on 3 October 2026.

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